How the Cat's Eyes Work

A cat is a very beautiful creature, and can be one of the best pets you could ever have. Most people do not know what all goes on within their eyes or how they work. If you have ever wondered about cat's eyes and how they work, then you might be interested in reading more.

A cat's eye is the gateway to their soul, much like people say our eyes are. Cat's eyes are similar to human eyes in the sense that the pupils will be around the same size and a difference in a cat's pupil size can actually mean they have an illness. A cat has an inner eyelid which is called a nictating membrane, which helps in protecting the eye from damage as well as dryness. You will know when your cat might be sick because this third eyelid will either close completely or close partially. When you notice that the third eyelid is not open completely to help protect your cat's eyes, then you need to get your cat to the veterinarian because this could mean that your cat has a medical condition such as tumors or a central nervous system injury. Just as human eyes can reflect moods, cat's eyes are also reflective of their moods. When your cat becomes angry the pupils will narrow and if your cat is scared or excited the pupils will become larger and the cat's eyes will be wide open. If your cat is content and happy, you might notice that the cat's eye color will change, this might not happen to every cat but it does happen quite often.

Cat's eyes are very similar to our eyes in that they can become infected and irritated and can get cataracts, pinkeye, and glaucoma. If your cat becomes infected with pinkeye and it is caused by a bacterial infection, you can actually catch the pinkeye from your cat. Also just like people, cat's eyes are a very important part of their health and some health problems can affect the eyes that might be serious and life-threatening for your cat. It is always important to take note of your cat's eyes and always be aware of changes in color and appearance to ensure your cat is healthy, and report all changes to a veterinarian.

The eyes of a cat are different than ours because a cat has a lot better night vision that we do. For a cat to see clearly, they only need about one-sixth of the lighting we need, which makes them far better than us. In a cat, the muscles of the iris that surrounds the pupil are made so that the eye can narrow to a slit in bright light and then widen fully in dim light which allows them to see better even in the dark. There is a reflective layer behind the retina in a cat that reflects the incoming light and makes it bounce off the cones in the cat's eyes. This reflective layer is called the tapetum and it is the reason why we might see shiny green in the cat's eyes at night. This feature is thought to happen due to cats mostly being nocturnal and during the night is the prime time for them to hunt.

Cat's eyes also are limited to mobility in that they can not see directly under their noses. If you have ever wondered why a cat sniffs around on the ground or sniffs your hand when you stick it out, it is because they can not point their eyes downward, so they use their nose to see where their eyes can not. Cats are also able to see some colors which is something many people thought was not possible, they can see colors but their color spectrum is not as clear or detailed as our eyes are. A cat has about 20/100 vision which means they can not see things clearly up close but can see very far away. Cat's eyes can symbolize affection also, because they are known to kiss you with their eyes. When a cat stares at you for a long time and then blinks at you in a slow fashion, this is known as a kiss which is their way of showing you affection. The kiss with the eyes is something you can do back to your cat by repeating the gaze and then slowly blinking an eye. Cat's eyes are very much like ours and are not very different as far as the different layers and functions of the eye. So remember, next time you look into your cat's eyes be aware of what you see and remember a cat's eyes are just as important to them as our eyes are to us. Always do your part to make sure your cat lives a happy and healthy life by looking into their eyes and always be aware of changes or medical problems that might occur in or around their eyes so they can be there to protect you for years to come.